In many countries, gambling is considered the sole province of legal adults. Of course, the actual age at which a person reaches legal majority varies from country to country. In some places, it is 18, and in others (such as much of the United States), 21. Underage gamblers can develop problem gambling behavior, just like “adult” gamblers. One of the patients who was admitted to a newly-established gambling rehabilitation center in Soho, London was just 16 years old at the time.
Let’s discuss some measures often used to try to prevent underage gambling.
Online
Many online casinos, particularly those who claim to support the set of principles known as Responsible Gaming, strive to ensure that they are keeping underage gamers away—or at least appear to be doing so. Small logos proclaiming that nobody under 18 is allowed to gamble on the site are common. More detailed policies usually state that a player must either be at least 18, or the majority age in his/her area, whichever one happens to be older. Law often requires casinos to keep records of the identities and ages of their users. Some people might consider this an intrusion on their individual privacy, but it is really a response to laws for the protection of minors.
Of course, managers of online casinos also know that mere instructions and statements are not enough to keep determined underage gamblers away. Therefore, instructions are included to help parents with site accounts ensure that their children are not gambling. Parents are advised to take certain measures to safeguard their passwords, or are pointed in the direction of a reliable Internet filter.
Even so, it is still possible for underage people to register at some sites, because a debit card can be used to create an account, and you only need to be 16 years old to have a debit card.
Offline
Offline (or brick-and-mortar) casinos such as Circus Circus are, arguably, taking greater risks than online casinos because they are subject to greater surveillance. For instance, a Pennsylvania casino was recently fined $100,000 because it did not report to state authorities that it had caught four underage gamblers using its slot machines. It is common practice for casinos to check visitors’ ID’s at the entrances—and of course, to keep an eye out for fake ID’s.
Tightening Up the Law
Recent years have seen the introduction of stricter gambling laws, notably in the United States. For example, many casinos no longer allow underage people onto their premises at all, even if they have an adult accompanying them. Underage individuals are allowed into bingo parlors, and even then, some parts of the premises may be off limits to them. The tightening of legislation has even affected sweepstakes and lotteries, which are so common that many people simply consider them innocuous. Now, you have to be at least 16 years old to even purchase a ticket. Store owners often check the identification of people who look like they might be under 16.
These measures are how mobile casinos try to prevent underage gambling. However, to be truly effective, these measures also need the cooperation of other actors, such as parents and counselors.